Method and apparatus for support and tubularization of surgical grafts

Abstract

The invention is directed to an apparatus and method for both supporting and preserving a piece of graft tissue during pre-implantation preparation, and for creating a tubular graft from the piece of graft tissue. The purpose of the device is (1) to support, stabilize, and preserve a piece of graft tissue; (2) to provide a rotating base to debride or otherwise prepare the donor tissue; and (3) to place the tissue around a mandrel for tubularization. The apparatus may be used as a support for preparing a piece of tissue for use as a skin graft or the like. Additionally, the preferred embodiment of the invention provides an advantageous method and apparatus for forming the graft tissue into a tubular configuration for use as a tubular graft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for supporting and preserving tissue in preparation for transplantation of the tissue, said apparatus comprising: a base, said base supporting at least two spaced support arms for supporting the tissue, such that the tissue may be supported between said arms, and   a chamber located between said arms, said chamber containing a tissue preserving medium, such that the tissue is supported between said arms and in contact with said tissue-preserving medium, whereby said tissue preserving medium helps maintain the tissue in a viable state during preparation for transplantation.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said base includes a pair of spaced arch members. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said arms are mounted on an elongate crossbar, said arms being rotatable at least 180 degrees about the axis of said cross bar, and thereby being able to rotate the tissue. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said crossbar supports said chamber. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said arms include two spaced pairs of arms, with the arms of each said pair of arms being foldable toward each other. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 further including a mandrel, said mandrel being located above said cross bar such that when said arms are folded, said tissue at least partially wraps around said mandrel to facilitate tubularization of said tissue. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6 further including a resilient band mounted on the end of each arm, said band being connectable to a corresponding adjacent portion of the tissue for supporting the tissue. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for forming a piece of flat tissue into a tubular configuration, said apparatus comprising: a base, said base supporting two spaced pairs of arms, each said pair of arms including two arms foldable toward each other, said two spaced pairs of arms being capable of supporting a piece of tissue therebetween; and   a mandrel mounted on said base whereby when said arms of said pairs are folded, said tissue wraps at least partially around said mandrel for facilitating the formation of said tissue into a tubular configuration.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 further including a chamber containing tissue preserving medium positioned between said spaced pairs of arms, such that the tissue is in contact with said medium. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including an elongate crossbar, said crossbar supporting said chamber and said two spaced pairs of arms. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said arms may be rotated at least 180 degrees by rotating about the axis of said crossbar, whereby said tissue may be rotated at least 180 degrees. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said base includes a spaced pair of arched base members, said arms and said crossbar being disposed between said arched members. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which each of said arms include a resilient band attached to the free end thereof, each said band also being connectable to the tissue for supporting the tissue. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 further including hooks for connecting said bands to the tissue. 
     
     
       15. A method of preserving and preparing a piece of tissue for transplantation, said method comprising: harvesting a piece of tissue from a donor site; and   supporting said piece of tissue between two spaced pairs of arms, said tissue also being in contact with a tissue preserving medium, whereby said tissue may be debrided or otherwise prepared while in contact with said tissue preserving medium.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of folding each pair of said arms toward each other so that said tissue wraps at least partially around a mandrel, whereby formation of said tissue into a tubular configuration is facilitated. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of suturing said tissue about said mandrel for forming said tissue into a tubular graft. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 15 further including the step of rotating said arms 180 degrees to debride or otherwise prepare the underside of said tissue prior to tubularization of said tissue. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 15 in which said tissue preserving medium is PEDIC-URO MHR™. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 15 further wherein said contacting said tissue with a tissue preserving medium includes the step of irrigating said tissue with said medium using a syringe.